Ridgefield Conservation Commission

Home
United States
Ridgefield, CT
Ridgefield Conservation Commission

The Ridgefield Conservation Commission was established in 1962 by Town Ordinance after enabling legislation was adopted by the Connecticut General Assembly

The Ridgefield Conservation Commission was established in 1962 by Town Ordinance after enabling legislation was adopted by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1961. We need your help! Join our popular Ridgefield Ranger Program or help us update the Ridgefield Walk Book. We depend on your help to check the trails and report what you see. The Commission maintains a small office on the second floor o

f the Town Hall Annex, 66 Prospect Street, staffed by a part-time administrator. The office is open to the public on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9am to 1pm. You can also reach us:

Phone: (203) 431-2713
E-mail: [email protected]

09/04/2026

Nature-friendly Landscaping

Autumn is actually the best time to plant and reconsider your gardens and lawns. Join RCC chairman Erik Keller for a discussion at the Ridgefield Library on Thursday, September 10, 7 pm, about nature-friendly landscaping practices. In his discussion he will cover a variety of options as to how best care for lawns, trees/shrubs, annuals/perennials, as well as the safe use of pesticides/herbicides/fertilizers.

Erik has been a member of the commission since 2019 and is a certified Master Gardener in Connecticut. He has also received certification in horticultural therapy from the New York Botanical Garden and is the author of the book, “A Therapist’s Garden”. You can register for the talk at https://ridgefieldlibrary.librarymarket.com/event/ridgefield-conservation-council-147134

09/02/2026

Apple Time at McKeon Farm

The Commission has been planting new trees at the McKeon Farm apple orchard for the past three years. Another quartet of heirloom apple trees (Hunt Russet) will be planted this fall. Commissioner Erik Keller recently visited the orchard and harvested five different types of apples. Among the batch he picked were a pair of Roxbury Russets, the oldest apple cultivar to be grown in the United States. (Its origin is pegged to Roxbury, Massachusetts, around 1635 and was planted in Connecticut around 1650.) The Commission hopes to reestablish the orchard over the next decade to produce the number and variety of fruits that it did in its heyday.

08/14/2026

There are many amazing things to spot in our neighborhoods if you just keep your eyes open. This morning, walking my dog, I spotted what I thought was an errant soccer ball. To my surprise and joy, it was actually a giant puffball mushroom nearly a foot in diameter. This edible fungus emerged after the torrential spurts of rain we have had in the last few days.

08/10/2026

Habitat Restoration in Easton

The woods in this photo may look like 'just a forest' to some but to us it's an inspiring example of what successful habitat restoration in Connecticut looks like. Many thanks to Lou Bacchiocchi and Justin Girlando from Aspetuck Land Trust for hosting RCC Commissioners Keller, Hogan, Sharp, Nichols, and Barbieri on a field trip to Jump Hill Preserve in Easton. This Land Trust property has been the site of a nearly 10-year, 9-acre restoration effort to eradicate invasive Japanese barberry and promote growth of native species such as oak, cherry, elm, and sassafras. Note the thick growth of plants in the understory here - a rich diversity of native trees and shrubs of different sizes (known as 'structual complexity') with no sign of over-browsing by deer. This is what healthy woodland looks like!

07/31/2026

Sunrise at McKeon

07/19/2026

Virginia Creeper Pollination

07/15/2026

Welcome Summer Workers!

The Commission has added yet another worker to its Summer team this year (bringing the total to five) as the requirements to maintain its nearly 2,900 acres and 60 miles of trails continues to increase. If you see any of them, please thank them for their tireless work. Left to right they are: Graham Meres, Dave Sigworth, Andrew Wilkinson, Paul Abrahams, Colin Nelson.

07/10/2026

Commissioners Matt Sharp and Erik Keller remove a fallen cherry tree at the Wittman Preserve parking lot. The recent storms have dropped a lot of vegetation on open-space trails. If you see any blocked trails, please let the Commission know so they can be cleared ASAP.

07/08/2026

Take a Hike This Saturday.

Bring water and closed toed shoes (there is poison ivy on the trail).

07/06/2026

Counting babies at RCC Purple Martin colony at McKeon Farm. 360 eggs and hatchlings so far, plus one BIG surprise. See the video.

Address

66 Prospect Street
Ridgefield, CT
06877

Telephone

+12034312713

Website

https://www.ridgefieldconservation.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ridgefield Conservation Commission posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Ridgefield Conservation Commission:

Want your organization to be the top-listed Government Service in Ridgefield?